


Gone

by dynamicmorning



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Kaiba and Pharaoh have feelings they don't like admitting, M/M, season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-05 03:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10296779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dynamicmorning/pseuds/dynamicmorning
Summary: Kaiba scoffed. “You have two minutes to convince me not to hang up. So you lost a duel: welcome to the real world. Welcome to the world you put me through whenever we duel, no matter how much I plan. Not only did you lose to some cultist chump, but you let it go to your head and now you have to deal with being a regular guy like the rest of us. Boo hoo, Yugi.”“Yugi is gone.”--After losing Yugi to the Seal of Orichalcos, the Pharaoh makes a late night phone call.





	

Kaiba’s phone rang in the middle of the night.

He was still at his desk, tirelessly searching for clues, for anything that could explain the presence of the monsters. The past week had been a non-stop game of hot potato, passing the blame from himself to Pegasus and back again. He did enjoy a good display of theatrics, but there was simply nothing to be gained from this so-called monster attack.

The phone continued to ring, and from a familiar number. He slammed the accept button with more force than necessary and was fully prepared to chastise the caller into next week.

It was Yugi.

Or rather, the different Yugi, the older one he always found himself dueling. Through the video screen he could see dark circles under his eyes and a sallowness in his face that hadn’t been there before. Neither of them spoke for a minute.

“If you still want me to fly you all to Florida, I’ve already told you, it’s not going to work. The resources of KaibaCorp are not your playthings.”

“I’m not calling to ask you for a plane ride. We bought our own tickets.”

Yugi’s voice was monotone, defeated. Kaiba considered turning up the volume to hear him more clearly, but this didn’t seem to be a conversation worth broadcasting to the mansion. He adjusted his chair and moved closer to the monitor.

“Well. Why are you calling, then?”

“I wanted to talk.” Yugi’s eyes were downcast and bloodshot. He too was trying not to wake the rest of the house, and the fact that his collar was still on indicated that sleep was not his top priority. Then again, maybe he was the type to wear that faux-bondage gear to bed. Who knew with him.

“You have plenty of friends to wake up. Is that punk Wheeler not good enough for you?”

“I wanted to talk to you. And besides,” he glanced up and managed a small smile, “you’re clearly awake.”

Kaiba scoffed. “You have two minutes to convince me not to hang up. So you lost a duel: welcome to the real world. Welcome to the world you put me through whenever we duel, no matter how much I plan. Not only did you lose to some cultist chump, but you let it go to your head and now you have to deal with being a regular guy like the rest of us. Boo hoo, Yugi.”

“Yugi is gone.”

Kaiba paused, staring at the Yugi who was clearly right in front of him. And yet, saying those words seemed to rip a hole in his heart. Quieter, Yugi said again, “He’s gone, Kaiba.”

“That can’t be. You’re…”

“Now is not the time to pretend you haven’t noticed there are two me’s. Look at me: I’m taller than him. My voice is deeper. I’ve faced you in games several times by now and still you can’t tell me apart from him? Look at me, Kaiba.”

So Kaiba looked, and could not deny what he saw. Yugi understood.

He cleared his throat. “What do you mean, gone?”

“I used the Seal of Orichalcos. You’ve seen how it works: the person who plays it gains massive attack power, and the loser forfeits their soul. In this case, I happened to be both.”

“But no one lost their soul- ridiculous a premise as it is- when I faced it.”

“In that case, you’ve figured out the loophole, and I commend you. I was not so lucky.” Yugi- no, the Pharaoh- took a deep breath and prepared himself to continue on. “It was supposed to be me. My hubris overpowered me, and I was supposed to pay the price. But Yugi, my partner, he… well, I still don’t know how exactly he did it, but the card took him instead of me. And here I am, a lost spirit alone in a body I have no right to, while my friend suffers for my crimes.”

Kaiba didn’t know how to respond. He could feel the Pharaoh’s outpouring of emotion, saw how the retelling of events was akin to reliving them in full force. He had the feeling that this wasn’t the first time the Pharaoh had anguished like this today either.

“I remember the time I lost Mokuba,” he offered. “Back at duelist kingdom. Pegasus kidnapped him and tried to convince me that he was trapped in a card-” seeing the Pharaoh’s eyes narrow he quickly dropped the act. “Okay, maybe he was really trapped in a card. Either way, I couldn’t bear it. Mokuba is my brother. I don’t know how I could live without him, and at the thought that I had lost him forever… I almost gave up right there. Almost. Instead I kept fighting.”

“Kaiba, you lost. Pegasus took you too.”

“Yeah, and you think I don’t know that?” He slammed his palm down on his desk, allowing his voice to rise. Forget keeping quiet. “The important thing is that I tried. Yes, I failed, but if I hadn’t tried and still got him back then I would feel even worse. You need to try, for Yugi. Try your damndest if he means anything at all to you.”

“I…” The Pharaoh was crying. This strong, emotional fortress of a man was actually crying, silently but uncontrollably. Kaiba let him.

“You need to say it.”

“What?”

“It’ll help if you admit it. You need to tell yourself how you feel.”

The Pharaoh took a deep breath and wiped his eyes. “I… love him. I love him. He’s an essential part of me. What right do I have to be in his body without his spiritual presence watching over? He never wanted to hurt anyone, he deserved so much better than I was ever able to give him. Oh gods, Kaiba, I love him so much.”

It was what he needed to say. Kaiba knew it was the push the Pharaoh needed to strengthen his own resolve. Still, the words sat uneasy in his chest. The Pharaoh continued to cry, taking the moment for himself while Kaiba watched. He smiled, but it was tight. After a while the Pharaoh looked up and noticed Kaiba’s stiff and silent reaction.

“Kaiba, you’re not…”

“I am not jealous.”

He cursed himself as soon as the words left his mouth. That’s exactly what it was, and his too-hasty denial had given him away. Somehow he managed to remain stone faced, unsure if the heat in his face was a real or imagined blush. What did it matter? The damage had been done.

“Go to bed. You’ve got a long flight tomorrow.”

“Kaiba-”

“Save up your energy. You’ll need it to find him.”

“Thank you.”

He was about to cancel the call when the Pharaoh spoke again. “You know, I really appreciate you being here for me now. You’ve helped me find the drive I thought I’d lost. I don’t know if I could have continued without you. Thank you for understanding.”

“Go to bed.”

He turned off the screen and slumped back into his chair. What a fool he’d been. What a goddamned fool.


End file.
